05 August,2026 01:34 PM IST | Sivasagar | mid-day online correspondent
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shares a light moment with children during a meeting with flood-affected people at a relief camp..(PICS/PTI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday visited relief camps, flood-affected villages and educational institutions in Sivasagar district as part of his five-day tour of Upper Assam to assess the damage caused by the recent floods and review ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.
The Chief Minister began his visit at a relief camp set up on the campus of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology in Sivasagar, where he interacted with displaced families and reviewed the facilities being provided to them. He instructed district officials to ensure uninterrupted access to food, safe drinking water, healthcare services and other essential amenities, particularly for children, senior citizens and women staying at the camp.
During his visit, Sarma handed over cheques of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the families of 10 people who lost their lives in the floods. He noted that the affected families had already received Rs 4 lakh each under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), with the latest assistance serving as additional financial support.
The Chief Minister assured flood-affected residents that the state government would continue to stand by them and extend every possible assistance for rehabilitation and rebuilding their lives.
Officials said the relief camp is currently housing 563 people from 162 families, including 35 children, 267 men and 261 women.
Addressing the media after inspecting the relief camp, Sarma said he had spent the past two days touring the worst-affected districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo to understand the extent of the damage and the needs of affected residents.
He announced that a comprehensive survey to assess permanent losses in the four flood-hit districts will begin on August 9, after which compensation will be provided to eligible beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister also informed that Union Health Minister J P Nadda is scheduled to visit Upper Assam on Wednesday to review the flood situation and interact with affected families.
Later in the day, Sarma travelled through several flood-affected areas, including Rajabari, Dihirgaon, Dhai Ali-Darikhat, Kakpathar-Kukurpuhia and Banmukh, where he met local residents and reviewed the challenges they continue to face.
He also used tractors and rubber boats to reach marooned villages such as Panbecha, Hatimuria, Betena, Dhupaboria, Tatipathar and Luruki, carrying out on-the-spot assessments of the damage.
The Chief Minister further inspected the flood-affected premises of Sivasagar Girls College and Phuleswari Girls Higher Secondary School, directing officials to restore normal functioning at the institutions as quickly as possible.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the drainage system of the Jamuna to reduce the risk of artificial flooding in the future and reiterated the government's commitment to restoring essential infrastructure and helping affected families return to normal life at the earliest.
(With inputs from PTI)
